


Rivermonsters #2-3 Poor Little Wolf & Cheer Squad of the Damned

by Lealis



Series: Rivermonsters [2]
Category: Archie Comics, Archie Horror
Genre: A little smutty, AU comicbook crossover, Comic inspired, F/M, Gen, Jeronica, Jughead:The Hunger & Vampironica crossover, Moodboard Inspired, Romantic Horror, highschool interspecies relationships are complicated, it's only taboo if you think about it too hard, now with added gore and terrible puns, relaxed script/screenplay format, short scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 18:34:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15712755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lealis/pseuds/Lealis
Summary: After a weekend in the woods (and a night when Jughead blacks out while he wolfs out) Veronica is back to her icy self, prowling the halls of Riverdale High and seeking solace in the arms of Reggie Mantle.A confused Jughead tries to piece together what exactly happened during the last full moon, but to Veronica, it's a night she'll try anything to forget. Feeling hopeless, Jughead turns to a friend for help. Meanwhile, Reggie and Veronica discuss their future in Riverdale.A jeronica crossover between the 'Vampironica' and 'Jughead: The Hunger' comic-verses.





	1. Poor Little Wolf (Rivermonsters #2)

**Author's Note:**

> In the spirit of comicbook format, I decided to add extra episodes, with a little more horror and action. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**EXT. FOREST ALONG THE HIGHWAY (BETWEEN RIVERDALE AND GREENDALE) - DAWN**

_Birds chirp, insects sing, the forest itself seems to whisper. In the brush of damp pine needles, a giant wolfman sleeps curled up, a tiny vampire girl cushioned on his chest. Her clothes are torn, his clothes are missing._

_Veronica stirs, her skin steams, she looks down at the blood on her cheerleader outfit, then at a sleeping Jughead. She goes to touch him, then stops, seeing the dried blood on his chest. She looks conflicted about staying, but the sun is rising and her skin is hissing. Swiftly, she finds her purse under Jughead's bulk. She carefully lifts a large furry arm to reach her jacket. Then, fading to a shadow, she zigzags away through the forest_.

 

* * *

 

**INT. RIVERDALE HIGH - DAY**

_Veronica dodges through the hall, sunglasses on, coffee cup with a generous donation from Chuck Clayton in her hand. She finds Dilton by his locker._

DILTON: Oooh, V, you don't look so good.

VEE: Well I feel like death on ice, so do you have anything for me?

_Dilton rummages in his locker and passes Veronica a plastic bottle. She snatches it gratefully._

DILTON: Are you sick?

VEE: No, just hungover.

DILTON: You're dead, Veronica, you can't metabolize alcohol.

VEE: Thanks, Vampire Mom. _(she pulls her sunglasses down a fraction)_ I'll see you tonight. _(she winks)_

_Veronica dips before Dilton can press her for real answers, she chugs from her bottle and then shoves it in her bag, she discards her coffee cup in the trash and rounds the corner. Crashing right into..._

JUG: _(eating a breakfast burrito)_ Veronica!

VEE: Oh...great...you're here...right now.

_Veronica tries to evade him, Jughead blocks her path through the river of students._

JUG: Hey, are you okay? _(voice lowers)_ You weren't there when I woke up. I was worried when you didn't answer your phone the rest of the weekend.

VEE: Uh-huh, yeah...no I'm cool, I'm good. Umm...I can't hang out today.

JUG: Why? Are you afraid you'll catch fleas?

_Beaming at his own wit, Jughead munches his burrito, the sauce oozes from it, a dollop of red hits his shirt._

VEE: _(gags, her hand over her mouth)_ I have to go, Pendleton, I...really have to go.

  _She swerves around him and disappears into the crowd. Jughead stares after her. Confused, he sniffs his shirt then his armpit. He scratches his ear, giving up with a shrug and chomping down on his burrito again as he trudges to class._

 

* * *

 

  **EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY (LATER)**

_Veronica finds Reggie under the bleachers smoking a cigarette. He tosses it when he sees her, a grin full of fangs just for her._

VEE: I thought you quit.

REG: Funny, I could say the same for you. Come to beg me to take you back?

VEE: Hardly. _(then, folding her arms)_ Where's Cheryl?

REG: She took the day off sick.

VEE: You didn't...

REG: Relax, I just wore her out a little, she'll recover. She's not got your stamina.

VEE: Jesus, Reggie, you don't have to be so vile.

_Reggie grins wickedly, delighted that he's disgusted her._

REG: Have you given any thought on expanding our hunting ground? Because I hate to point it out, but we can't feed off our cliques forever. No more than three taps, or the blood goes bad and then so do we.

VEE: I shudder to think how you know that.

_Reggie waves his hand, taps another cigarette from the carton._

REG: Unfortunate experience after my trip to Europe. No great story starts with waking up in a bathtub in an abandoned Paris hotel, let me tell ya.

_Veronica tucks her hands around her waist, looking queasy again._

VEE: So what do we do? We can't keep feeding off the town indefinitely, not without being caught. _(she looks over her shoulder)_ Gossip in this place spreads like wildfire, a dazed and bruised pep squad is going to draw attention.

REG: We need a bigger pool, all the great Vampires moved around from city to city every few years. The immortal world tour.

VEE: _(skeptical)_ How many great vampires do you know?

REG: _(he lists them on his fingers)_ Tesla, Cher, Cleopatra, Pope John, Keanu, _(with flourish)_ The Reg...

VEE: _(rolling her eyes)_ Please stop calling yourself that.

REG: _(chuckles and tucks his cigarette behind his ear)_ My point is, this town is a dead-end we'll bleed dry. We have to hit the road soon, before summer starts. _(he squeezes Veronica by the shoulders)_ Are you in, Queen V?

_Veronica looks back at the school, she chews a garnet-painted nail._

VEE: _(reluctantly)_ Yeah, I'm in.

 

* * *

 

  **INT. POP'S - DAY (AFTERNOON)**

_Jughead enters Pop's, he's on his phone leaving a message for Veronica._

JUG: Listen, V, I know I blackout in beast mode, so if I did anything to upset you and you're avoiding me for that...well, I just want to apologize. _(spots Archie and Betty in a booth sharing a milkshake)_ Anyways, V, call me back. _(hangs up)_

_Archie sees Jughead and waves him over. Dragging his feet, Jughead comes to stand over their table.  
_

ARCH: Hey, man. Haven't seen you for a while.

JUG: Yeaaah, forgive me for not wanting to be a third wheel to the vanilla wagon. You guys haven't seen Ronnie, have you?

ARCH: No, she ghosted on us too. I figured she was just mad about me and Betty.

BETTY: I think I saw her on the football field with Reggie this afternoon.

_Jughead freezes up, his eyes flash yellow._

JUG: Reggie? Again?

BETTY: _(slurps milkshake)_ Those two are always cooking something up. I think they got detention for skipping class.

ARCH: No, they got out of that with a warning from Weatherbee.

JUG: Well, where are they then?

BETTY: Beats me, probably doing something illegal as usual.

ARCH: _(laughing)_ What do you care, Jug? They're hardly your favorite people.

_Jughead’s temper snaps, his fist comes down on the table, the burger in front of Archie jumps, pink milkshake slops across the plate._

BETTY: Jughead!

_Jughead gets a grip, he wipes milkshake off his hand._

JUG: _(mutters)_ Sorry.

_Archie frowns at him, mourning his ruined burger._

ARCH: Whatever, man.

_Jughead pays for the food, mumbling another apology before he leaves. Outside, he thinks he sees Reggie drive past in his sports car, the top is down, and he thinks he sees Reggie tip his sunglasses with a white-fanged sneer before speeding off._

_Jughead kicks a dumpster in anger, a stray cat inside it yowls in terror._

 

* * *

 

  **INT. DILTON'S BEDROOM - EVENING**

_Veronica paces anxiously amid the regalia of a high school genius. Dilton, at his desk, studies a slide under a microscope._

VEE: _(nervously)_ Well?

_Dilton sits back and puts his glasses on. He scribbles a note in his observation book._

DILTON: You'll live...or not, depending on your point of view.

VEE: Dilton!

DILTON: You're going to be fine, V, it hasn't infected you.

VEE: No ghouls?

DILTON: _(smiling kindly)_ No ghouls.

_Veronica flops onto Dilton's bed in relief, she lies back and covers her face with her hands._

VEE: I don't know how much longer I can keep this up, Dilton, I need that cure.

DILTON: Not to dampen your spirits, Veronica, but it could take years. I messaged a cousin at the CDC, but she's in Borneo right now studying a new strain of typhoid and it might be some months before she's in contact. Then of course I'd need the equipment to properly synthesize an antidote, some lab rats to test it...

_Veronica sits up, scoffing and exasperated._

VEE: I'm magically afflicted, don't you have an aunt who’s a crystal healer or something you can call!?

DILTON: _(patient)_ Clinically, your cells have mutated. I can't just spit on some grave dirt and call you back from the void. And, Veronica, you have to be prepared for the possibility that even if I could bring you back, you might not be...the same. Ever.

_Veronica swallows, she's tearful, but it only lasts moment before she resigns herself to what she always suspected. She gets up, grabbing her purse and jacket and then opening Dilton's window._

VEE: I'll be back at the end of the week to collect the rest of the juice.

DILTON: You're really going to leave town with Reggie?

VEE: _(looks back)_ Do I really have much of a choice?

_She slides the window shut and drops out of sight._

 

* * *

 

**INT. VERONICA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT**

_Veronica raids her closet, hastily packing a bag. The room is dark, but light from under the door leaks across the floor and the muffled sound of her parents can be heard. Her phone rings on her bed. She checks. It’s Jughead—she rejects the call and continues to pack. Rooting through her closet she stops, finding the tattered and bloody cheerleader uniform from the weekend._

_Just the smell of the blood makes her eyes glow, and she quickly stuffs it in a dry-cleaning cover and hides it in her gym bag._

_From outside her window, she hears a honk. She sees Reggie is parked outside._

_In a swift blur of shadow, he appears at the balcony outside her room. Veronica opens it for him._

VEE: What?

REG: Can I come in?

_He makes a pleading face, Veronica snorts._

VEE: You’ll have to be quiet, my dad has his poker buddies downstairs.

REG: _(pouting)_ No fun.

_He lounges on the bed, pulling Veronica down to join him. She lays on her back next to him, he props himself up by his elbow, playing with a strand of her hair and eyeing the bag she was packing.  
_

REG: I almost thought you wouldn't come with me. What's the deal with you and Jones, anyway?

VEE: Nothing. It's nothing.

 _She kisses him to prove it, roughly, trying to pull herself from her funk. Reggie doesn't notice her mood,_ _he kisses her neck, business as usual. She lets him, staring distractedly up at the ceiling. The shadows above her almost look like a wolf._

_She pulls Reggie’s hair, his nails dig into her thigh in response, and suddenly her eyes glow red._

VEE: Reggie…

_Reggie pauses from unbuttoning her skirt.  Veronica rolls on top of him and pulls his t-shirt off, then pins him down. Her fangs slide out. Reggie smirks, dumb and hungry for whatever Veronica is about to inflict. She removes her top, looks up again at the shadow on the ceiling, then shuts her eyes and sinks her teeth into Reggie’s chest._

 

* * *

 

**INT. RIVERDALE HIGH GYM - DAY**

_Veronica and the other Vixens stretch and do their warm ups. The girls chatter, but Veronica isn't paying attention. She takes a sip from her bottle, then licks her thumb and wipes a droplet of blood from her sneaker. Josie walks over, and Veronica quickly tosses her bottle in her bag and zips it up to hide the bloodstained cheer uniform inside._

VEE: Hey, Josie.

JOSIE: Hey, I just got word. Practice is canceled.

VEE: What? Is Cheryl not back?

TONI: I heard she was still off sick with strep throat.

MIDGE: Moose said that Jason came down with it too.

_Veronica stiffens. She curses under her breath._

VAL: That's awful, maybe we should stop over and check they're okay?

JOSIE: No way! I booked out a recording studio, I don't want my girls getting sick last minute.

VEE: I'll go. _(she picks up her bag hastily)_ It's on the way home so...

JOSIE: On your own head, girl.

_Veronica looks up, Reggie walks past the gym with the rest of the Bulldogs heading out for practice. He blows a kiss at her mockingly._

VEE: I'm sure it will be.

 

* * *

 

**EXT. RIVERDALE TOWN – DAY**

_Veronica walks home, the sky is gray, dry leaves blow across the street. As she passes each storefront, she shows no reflection. She stops outside the laundromat, playing with the strap of her gym bag. Inside, two college girls chat while they wait for their laundry, they seem happy…alive. Veronica puts her hand up to the glass longingly, then through the reflection she sees something. She turns around: Riverdale Mortuary & Crematorium. She looks down at her gym bag. Then makes up her mind and crosses the street._

 

* * *

 

  **EXT. DILTON'S YARD - DAY**

_Dilton, dressed in a bright yellow rain poncho, assesses the clouds above. A storm is brewing and he's rigging up a lightning rod on the lawn. There's a scuffling sound, and then Jughead leaps over the back fence and lands, brushing dead leaves and spiderwebs off himself._

DILTON: So I guess I'm living at 1313 Mockingbird Lane now...

JUG: What?

DILTON: _(muttering)_ Nothing... _(louder)_ What can I do for you, Jones?

JUG: Have you seen—

DILTON: The Lovely Miss Veronica? Not since yesterday.

_Dilton pulls a rope slung over the tree by his window and hoists the metal mast towards the sky._

_Jughead watches it go, hands in his pockets unhelpfully. Overhead, thunder rumbles._

JUG: What are you doing?

DILTON: _(grunts as he ties off the rope)_ Trying to capture lightning in a bottle. Now, is there anything else you want?

JUG: Just...did Veronica seem...weird to you?

DILTON: She wore flats to school yesterday.

JUG: C'mon, man...

DILTON: _(sighing)_ Now that you mention it, there was an anomaly with her blood work that I found. She was worried about it.

JUG: _(sharply)_ What do you mean anomaly? Is she okay?

DILTON: Just a temporary spike, likely caused by the extra-curriculars of the football team.

_Dilton mimes flexing and injecting, and wags his eyebrows cynically. He takes a screwdriver from his pocket and tightens up his rod._

DILTON (CONT'D): You know, if you had some kind of plan to keep her around, now would be the time to execute it.

_Jughead scratches the back of his neck. There’s another rumble of thunder, he sighs and slides his hat off as the downpour starts. Next to him, Dilton takes off his glasses and pulls up the hood of his poncho._

JUG: Yeah, I thought I already did.

 

* * *

 

**EXT. THORNHILL (BLOSSOM RESIDENCE) - AFTERNOON**

_Veronica approaches the porch of Cheryl's house, several cars are parked outside. Next door, the pool outside Thistlehouse still has streamers and dead balloons floating in it from Cheryl's party, drizzle from the passing storm causing ripples across the water. Veronica shivers and pulls her jacket around herself before she rings the bell._

_No one answers._

_She tries again._

_Still no answer._

_Veronica tries around back, squeezing through a gap in the rose bushes, she hisses when a thorny branch scrapes her hand. She stops. Penelope and Clifford Blossom lie on the grass, their skin pale purple, mouths agape, eyes staring. A bloodied croquet mallet lies next to their bodies._

_Trembling, Veronica reaches to check for a pulse, then looks at the back door, it's ajar, smeared with blood. Slowly she follows the trail, she slides the door open._

**INT. KITCHEN**

_A maid's body lies on the kitchen table, finest silverware pierces her chest like a pin cushion. A butler's head lies in a turkey tray by the oven, crystal and china is shattered on the floor._

_Veronica gags, she covers her mouth, trying not to slip in the blood as she makes it to the hall. Hand prints cover the wallpaper, someone has drawn devil horns on the family portrait._

**FRONT HALL**

_Veronica finds the body of the gardener at the foot of the staircase, he has a pitchfork sticking from his chest, the blood on it is still dripping. Upstairs, something thuds loudly._

VEE: _(slowly heading up the stairs)_ Cheryl? Jason?

  _Veronica takes her hand off the banister, now wet with blood. She grimaces again. On the landing, she hears water running. She follows the sound. Enters the twins’ bedroom…_

**BEDROOM**

_The bedroom is empty, one half of the room is red, the other is dark blue, the covers of each bed match the walls. Veronica doesn't stop to contemplate why the twins still share a room. There's steam coming from the bathroom door. Covering her hand with her sleeve, she twists the knob and the door swings open._

_Veronica's face contorts in horror._

_The steam clears, Jason and Cheryl Blossom are sitting in a large claw-footed bathtub. They wear matching silk pajamas, stained red and soaking wet. Jason's shirt is unbuttoned, his chest covered in bruises and bite marks. His sister holds the shower-head, trying to wash blood from her hair._

_Bent double over the bath, the local postman lies dead with a broken neck. Wet letters stick to the tiled floor._

_The twins look at Veronica, their eyes shine cherry-red with malice. Slowly, in unison, they smile, revealing a matching set of pin-sharp canines._


	2. Cheer Squad of the Damned (Rivermonsters #3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A grave mistakes causes the reluctant Fang Factions to join forces. Jughead confronts Veronica about her cold shoulder. Veronica fights for school spirit.

* * *

  **INT. JONES' RESIDENCE - EVENING**

_Jughead lounges on the couch with Hot Dog is in his lap, a bag of dog biscuits is under his arm. As he idly flicks the channels, he feeds Hot Dog a biscuit, then takes one for himself._

_A shadow appears at the window, Veronica bursts into the room, breathless, wild-eyed. Hot Dog growls._

JUG: Oh, so you finally got my billion messages...

_Veronica leans on her knees, she takes a second from her panic to glare at him. He jumps to his feet._

JUG(CONT'D): What's wrong?

VEE: Jason...Cheryl...Jason... _(she covers her eyes)_ Oh my god...

JUG: _(grabbing Veronica's hands)_ Hey...hey, V, Breathe. Okay? Tell me what happened...

_Jughead cradles her face, pulling it close, Veronica's breathing slows, she's exhausted._

VEE: Reggie...Reggie must've turned Cheryl and she...oh god, she turned Jason and they...Thornhill is a slaughterhouse, Jug! There's so many bodies...

_Jughead wraps Veronica in a hug, he strokes her hair to try and calm her. Against his chest, Veronica closes her eyes, for a moment she seems okay, then she pulls away suddenly, her eyes glowing._

JUG: Wha—

VEE: I need to go. We need Dilton for this.

JUG: Do you want me to come with?

VEE: _(quickly)_ No, umm... _(she runs her hands through her hair)_ We need weapons, I need you to get to Andrews' construction yard and get as much wood as you can find. Meet me back at Dilton's.

_She vanishes again. Jughead drops his arms. He looks sarcastically at Hot Dog._

JUG: Teach me how to understand women, buddy. 

_Hot Dog sneezes._

 

* * *

 

**INT. POP'S DINER - DAY (NEXT MORNING)**

_Reggie reclines in a booth, he admires his car through the window of the diner. In front of him he has his phone out, he's checking for apartments in New York. A waitress serves him coke with lime. He takes a hipflask from his jacket, pours the contents into the glass, then drinks. After a moment, he hold his hand up to the window and peels the blind back to shine a light on his skin. Nothing happens._

REG: _(to himself)_ Good boy, Doils.

_Satisfied, Reggie returns the flask to his pocket and finishes his drink, he slicks back his hair, watches a cherry-red convertible pull up outside and park._

_The bell rings. Cheryl and Jason Blossom enter holding matching parasols, they wear pristine white formal attire. They glide up to the counter holding hands like the ghosts of twincest present. Reggie watches, curious but slightly creeped out. As Jason leans over the counter to whisper their order to the waitress, Cheryl's head turns sharply in Reggie's direction. Reggie jumps in his seat._

_The twins glide over. They slide into the seats opposite. Jason stares ahead, he smiles blankly._

REG: What's up your asses today?

JASON: You ruined my sister.

REG: _(snorting)_ I'm sorry, was she meant to be saving herself for you?

_Jason snaps out of his passive state, he reaches a hand over the table and grabs Reggie by the throat. His eyes are blood red._

REG(CONT'D): Oh...fuck me...not you too...

_Reggie squirms, but Cheryl leans over the table too, she pins Reggie's arm down so he can't get away from them._

CHERYL: Imagine my surprise when I woke up with more than just a hickey and a crick in the neck, Reginald. And imagine my dear sweet brother coming to my bedside, fearing the worst. _(she gets closer and whispers)_ Imagine being so...hungry...you almost devour your brother alive.

REG: _(gulps)_ You know, I'd rather not picture that...if I'm honest. That's not really my—

_Jason's hand tightens around Reggie's throat._

JASON: You're going to pay, Reggie.

CHERYL: But first, we're going to stain this town red, and every drop of blood is going to be on your hands.

JASON: Starting with your girlfriend.

_Reggie sputters, and Jason and Cheryl let go, they get up, and glide out of the diner, leaving a stunned waitress still holding their shake, and Reggie choking and grabbing his phone._

 

* * *

  **INT. DILTON'S BEDROOM – MORNING (ACROSS TOWN)**

_Jughead sleeps against the wall next to a small mound of crushed energy drink cans and snack packets. Dilton is stretched out on his bed, his glasses askew. Veronica sits on the floor, face fixed in concentration as she whittles down a stake and adds it to the pile in front of her. Every now and then she can't resist a quick glance at Jughead sleeping by the window._

_She looks at the time, then nudges Dilton awake_.

VEE: Rise and shine.

_Dilton groans and rolls over, on his back, he stares at the night's work._

DILTON: Did you sleep?

_Veronica automatically glances at Jughead again, still snoring softly._

VEE: Sleep's a luxury, I can live without it right now.

DILTON: Only if you've eaten, V. _(he rolls over and frowns at her)_ When was the last time?

_Veronica's eyes roam back to Jughead, she swallows._

VEE: Not since yesterday...It doesn't matter. We need to find the twins and get this over with. I'll sleep when we're done.

DILTON: It matters because you'll get weaker the longer you fast.

_Veronica stands, she loads some of the stakes into her now empty gym bag, ignoring his objections. She ties up her hair; all business._

VEE: I once survived a snow-in at Cheer Camp on nothing but soda and cocoa butter lip balm, I can handle low-iron levels for a few days. Meet me at school? _(she checks her phone)_ I have to find Reggie. I'll catch you later!

_Jughead wakes up just as Veronica leaves, her foot swinging over his head as she exits via the window. He blink groggily, Dilton cleans his glasses and looks him up and down._

JUG: What?!

DILTON: You did something, didn't you? That's why it's weird.

_Jughead throws his hands despairingly._

JUG: I don't remember, okay? We were at the graveyard, talking, everything was fine, next thing I know I wake up alone in the woods. _(he pauses, rubbing his temples)_ I think we hunted rabbits...maybe she was grossed out by my table manners?

DILTON: _(under his breath)_ That makes all of us...

JUG: My hearing's just fine, Dilton.

DILTON: Did you pee on a tree in front of her? I heard a lot of girls don't like that.

JUG: Oh, you read that in New Scientist, did you? No I didn't piss on a tree!

DILTON: Well you did something. 

JUG: _(hanging his head, sullen)_ Maybe she just can’t get past the whole giant hairy monster thing.

DILTON: If she can tolerate Reggie Mantle all year round, I don't think your fur cycle is the problem, Jughead.

 

* * *

 

**EXT. RIVERDALE HIGH - DAY**

_The bell has already gone, the outside of school is empty. It rains lightly, blowing wet leaves across the grass. Reggie sits on the front steps drumming his feet anxiously and twirling a crowbar. Veronica blurs across the path, rattling to a halt with her bag of stakes. Reggie gets up, runs to her._

REG: Thank god! Where have you been?! Cheryl's lost her damn mind.

_Veronica throws down her bag and unzips it to show him her handiwork, she hands him one of the stakes, he tucks it in his back pocket._

VEE: You should have been more careful on your date.

_Reggie rest the crowbar over his shoulder and swipes his hair out of his eyes._

REG: Can we save the lecture until after we save the town?  

**INT. RIVERDALE HIGH [CONTINUOUS]**

_Veronica and Reggie bust through the front doors. The hall is empty. Over the PA system, terribly shitty xylophone music plays. Reggie nudges Veronica and points to a smear of blood outside the boys' locker room._

_Together they head to the door, Veronica wields a stake, she nods at Reggie to open the door._

**LOCKER ROOM**

_Veronica switches on the light. It's a grisly sight. Football players and cheerleaders lie slumped in piles, necks twisted, eyes vacant, blood smeared all across the floor. Reggie swears under his breath at the loss of his football team._

_From the pile, there's a groan. Together, Veronica and Reggie moves the bodies._

REG: Andrews!

_Veronica helps Reggie haul Archie out from under the pile, they prop him against the lockers._

VEE: Archie, can you hear me?

ARCH: _(weak)_ Hey...it's Archie...leave a message...

_Reggie shakes Archie's shoulder, he slaps his cheek urgently._

REG: Come on, bro, stay with us.

ARCH: Football practice got canceled...due to...bad tempers...

REG: Where's Cheryl and Jason? _(he shakes Archie harder)_ Andrews?!

VEE: Leave it, Reg, we're not going to get anything out of him.

_She takes out her phone and dials 911. Reggie surveys the mess again._

REG: I've definitely tapped some of these three times before...

VEE: Me too _(she stops to answer the 911 responder)_ Hello? I'd like to report a bloodbath at Riverdale High. Please send paramedics. Who's calling? Yeah, sure it's— _(she hangs up the phone and puts it back in her pocket)_

REG: If I was a murderous pair of vampire twins, what would my next move be?

_Veronica shrugs. The shitty music on the PA stops._

WEATHERBEE (V.O.): Would Veronica Lodge please report to the principal's office. _(there's a gurgling noise)_ Veronica Lodge to the principal's office.

_Veronica and Reggie look at each other._

VEE: Go. Evacuate the school and wait for the paramedics, set off the fire alarm or something, I'll distract the gruesome twosome.

REG: Are you sure? They're strong together...

VEE: I beat Cheryl at track three years in a row without dead-speed, I'll be fine. I'll lure them to the far end near the boiler room.

_Reggie nods, skidding to the door, then stops._

REG: So, uh...does this mean we're back together?

VEE: Scram, Reggie!

**INT. RIVERDALE HIGH HALLWAY (MOMENTS LATER)**

_Veronica creeps along the hall, the PA system is back to playing the horrible music. Veronica reaches the principal's office, she turns the handle._

VEE: Cheryl?

**INSIDE**

_There's no Cheryl or Jason inside the office, instead, Principal Weatherbee sits at his desk gasping and choking, there's a pencil in his neck, he tries desperately to stem the bleeding._

VEE(CONT'D): Mr Weatherbee!

_Veronica rushes into the room, the door slams shut behind her. Jason appears as if from nowhere._

JASON: Hello, Ronnie. Nice to see you again. You left in such a hurry yesterday.

_Veronica can't find words. Jason's skin is peeling, one of his eyes hangs from its socket, patches of red hair are coming out, his belly bloats through his shirt._

VEE: _(covering her mouth and nose from the stench)_ I guess we know who ate the football team then...

JASON: I always liked you most, Ron. _(he lurches forward and there's the sound of bones crunching)_ Remember the winter formal we went to together? You kissed me in the grotto.

VEE: We had some good times...

_Veronica backs up slowly, gripping a stake in her hand. Behind her, Weatherbee hides under his desk, pulling his phone down with him._

JASON: Then Reggie started the rumors...about me and my sister...and you chose Archie over me...

VEE: Me and Archie didn't work out. So let's just call it water under the bridge...

_Jason lunges, and Veronica throws the stake. It hits his shoulder, there's a shrieking noise of gas escaping from his insides. But he gets up and keeps coming. Veronica whips another stake from her bag, this time she aims for the gut._

_Jason's stomach bursts, his intestines flop out. He looks down at them, then up at her and roars, tearing at his hair, the stake clatters to the floor._

JASON: WHY'D YOU HAVE TO HURT ME LIKE THAT!

VEE: _(reloading)_ I'm a heartbreaker, Jay-Jay, that's all I ever do.

_This time she doesn't have any further to back up, and when Jason swings, he catches her in the stomach, throwing her up and into the wall. Jason roars again, acid and slime spewing from his body cavity. Weak, dazed, Veronica struggles to reach her bag, but Jason tears it away from her. He picks her up by the shoulders, her feet flail uselessly._

JASON: I bet you taste pretty good, Ronnie...

_Jason's jaws open, his tongue long and purple and writhing like a snake. Veronica screams, her eyes burning red, fangs useless._

_The office door explodes off its hinged_.

_Jason turns around, just in time to receive the bolt of Dilton's crossbow directly in the heart. He bursts like a putrid balloon. Behind Dilton, Jughead appears, sweeping Veronica away from the explosion of acid and entrails. He shields her in the corner, gritting his teeth as the slime hits his back and burns through his jacket._

_Veronica looks up at him, shaking, Jughead's face has morphed, teeth out, yellow eyes gaze sternly back at her. They are inches apart, he grunts, nuzzling her to make sure she's okay, then his face becomes human again and he pulls away, leaving Veronica with her breath caught. He stands abruptly and helps her up._

_Dilton is busy scraping a sample into a glass jar, Veronica wrinkles her nose._

JUG: Really, man, right now?

DILTON: Science waits for no one...

JUG: That's not a...never mind.

VEE: You guys didn't happen to see Cheryl around?

_From behind the desk, Weatherbee gasps._

WB: Pool...she's in the school pool house...

VEE: Okay, Dilton, you make sure Mr. Weatherbee gets out of here. Jughead and I will go stop Cheryl.

JUG: We will? _(he pokes at Jason's detached eyeball with his boot)_ Can't we just burn the school down?

VEE: Sure, Pendleton, if you want to take the whole town with us...

DILTON: There's a gas main under the school.

JUG: Alrighty then, so what's the plan, Huffy the Vampire Flayer?

VEE: _(hands on hips)_ Really? That's the joke you're rolling with?

DILTON: One way to kill the room...

JUG: Bride of the Reggipire?

VEE: Terrible.

JUG: Flossferatu? Scream Leader? No...I got it! Night of the—

VEE: It'll be Count Smackula if both of you don't get moving.

_Veronica picks up her bag, grabs Jughead's sleeve and drags him out the door._

VEE(CONT'D): Come on, Balto, let's go save the children.

 

* * *

 

  **EXT. RIVERDALE HIGH - DAY**

_Veronica and Jughead shimmy along the roof of the gymnasium, making their way to the edge of the glass-roofed indoor pool. From the main school building, a fire alarm wails, and students pile out onto the front steps._

JUG: Is now a bad time to ask why you've been avoiding me?

VEE: Absolutely.

JUG: I just...need to know if it was something I did. If you think I'm repulsive I'd rather you just ripped that band-aid off now so that—

_Veronica takes a breath and interjects._

VEE: It's not you.

JUG: Oh…Is it us? Did we...did something happen?

VEE: _(suddenly)_ I may have fed on you.

JUG: _(spinning her around by the shoulder)_ Come again?

VEE: _(without eye-contact)_ I fed on you, in the woods...I...drank werewolf blood _(ashamed)_...and worst of all, I can't stop thinking about it. I'm the repulsive one, not you.

_Jughead scratched his ear, he frowns._

JUG: So the anomaly in your blood wasn't from roided jocks, it was from a supernatural hickey. And you're ignoring me because you're embarrassed?

VEE: _(mortified)_ Yes! Can we please focus now?!

_Veronica leans over the ledge of the roof, hanging upside down. Inside, Cheryl has the entire senior class water polo team tied to chairs at the edge of the pool, their coach floats in the water face down in a cloud of blood. Veronica swings back up onto the roof._

_She turns around. Jughead nudges up next to her._

JUG: So what was taking Vampire steroids like?

VEE: _(she sighs, closes her eyes)_ ...like popping molly, pounding a hundred redbulls and going to burning man.

JUG: _(he rests his chin on her shoulder, smirking)_ pre-tourist burning man?

VEE: If I say yes, will you drop it and never mention it again?

JUG: Depends...am I going to get a booty call next full moon? Because I won't rip my best jeans for just anyone.

  _Veronica yanks him down to her level by the scruff of his shirt, she presses her tongue against one of her fangs, playing up to his teasing._

VEE: I'm not just anyone and you know it.

_Jughead, still smirking, leans down to kiss her, then stops, raises his chin, sniffing the air._

JUG: Smells like...

VEE: Reggie!

_Reggie sails through the air and lands on the rooftop next to them. Jughead puts a lot of space between him and Veronica._

REG: Sorry I missed the party.

_He looks from Jughead to Veronica, his eyes narrowed._

REG: Is this a stakeout or stake-in?

_Jughead looks like he wants to punch Reggie, Veronica steps in swiftly._

VEE: Cheryl's got the water polo team in there, looks like the coach is dead.

REG: And what's the play? _(he rakes Jughead over)_ You know, besides the one you're trying to make on my girl?

VEE: We broke up, Reggie, and you have eternity to act like a little bitch about it, but not today.

JUG: We're here to save Riverdale's best and brightest...

REG: _(disgruntled)_ The only sport more ridiculous than water polo is horse polo...

JUG: I think they just call that polo, Reg.

REG: Whatever, how do we save the dorks, any ideas?

VEE: I'll distract Cheryl, you boys grab the team. Maybe we don't have to kill her if we take away all her toys.

JUG: What exactly do you want us to do with her? Because when she finds out we turned Jason into a smoothie she is going to be really pissed.

REG: We ask her to leave town. _(he cracks his knuckles, his eyes glow, a mouthful of teeth and promise)_ Or we make her leave.

_Jughead and Veronica exchange grim expressions. In the distance, sirens wail._

 

* * *

 

**INT. POOLHOUSE**

_Cheryl twirls her parasol, she waits for Jason, pacing up and down the side of the pool. The water polo team sobs and shakes, terrified as Cheryl stops to toe her heel on the backs of their chairs, threatening to push them in. She's tied dive weights to their ankles, the ropes that bind them to the chairs are tight, cutting in their wrists._

_From above, glass shatters, Veronica swings into the pool house and lands gracefully._

CHERYL: Veronica! _(eyes narrow)_ Where's my Jay-Jay?

VEE: He left town.

CHERYL: : Liar. He'd never leave without me.

VEE: It's over, Cheryl, the cops are at your house right now, they're on their way to the school. He had no other choice, and if you go now, you can probably catch up to him.

CHERYL: _(sucks blood off her finger thoughtfully)_ Maybe we'll just tell them your boyfriend did it?

_Veronica moves around, keeping Cheryl's back to the windows where Jughead and Reggie are sneaking in and climbing down the stands. She keeps walking backwards, trying to bring Cheryl further away from the water polo team._

VEE: Reggie already left, Cheryl, we're all leaving before we get caught.

CHERYL: _(pouting)_ But what about my revenge? And the pep rally?! We practiced so hard!

VEE: _(stalling)_ Look, Cheryl, I know it sucks that Reggie did this to you, he did it to me too...

_Behind Cheryl, Jughead's ear prick up, Reggie shoves him quietly as they creep around the edge of the pool._

VEE(CONT'D): That's one trip to the drive-in I'll never forget. But... _(she holds out her hand)_ we can forget about Reg, you can come with me. We'll tear up New York together, it'll be better than a pep rally, I promise.

_Cheryl looks intrigued._

CHERYL: Like Vampire Thelma and Louise?

_Reggie makes a 'yikes' face behind Cheryl's back, Veronica forces herself to smile._

VEE: Sure, or Samantha and Carrie.

CHERYL: _(giggles)_ Wow, Veronica, you're really not the Ice Queen everyone says you are, you know I just can't remember why I used to hate you...

VEE: Because I’m popular?

_Cheryl laughs—then rushes at Veronica. Red acrylic nails scrape her throat, she picks Veronica up by the jaw and throws her at the wall. Veronica crashes into the lifeguard chair, it collapses like match sticks. Behind Cheryl, Jughead tries to run to her aid, but Reggie holds him back, gesturing at the polo players as Cheryl, distracted, tosses her hair and flounces towards Veronica as she scrambles to get back to her feet._

_Veronica swipes at Cheryl, Cheryl swerves it, grabbing Veronica by the hair and swinging her to the ground again._

CHERYL: You're weak, Ronnikins, hungry, are you?

_Veronica hisses at her, this time dodging Cheryl's next attack, as hurriedly, Reggie and Jughead work to free the polo players, who one by one run towards the changing rooms by the stands. But as Cheryl and Veronica fight, it's clear that Veronica is tiring easier, and Cheryl's lucky strikes start to become a beat down where Veronica no longer gets up to continue. Cheryl puts a stiletto heel on her back, she presses until blood wells up._

_The polo team safely out of reach, Reggie and Jughead rush to help Veronica._

CHERYL: Not another step, boys. Unless you want to me to use your girlfriend's head as a volley ball.

REG: _(yelling)_ She's not my girlfriend anymore, we broke up! _(he side-eyes Jughead, then mutters)_ Now would be a good time to sprout your hairy balls, bro.

JUG: _(under his breath)_ I can't fully change without a full moon, not for more than a few minutes.

REG: _(teeth extending)_ Well figure it out if you ever want to get a chance to raw-dog my number one Vixen.

JUG: _(sprouting claws, eyes glowing)_ I can't think of a single reason why Veronica wouldn't want to date you, Mantle.

REG: _(inspired)_ She likes it rough, you know, this one time she tied me up in the boiler room and left me there all day, then when she came back she had this see-through thong—

JUG: _(growling)_ Shut up, Reggie!

_Veronica isn't moving, she's not getting up. Jughead's eyes burn bright with panic._

REG: Have you ever been blindfolded and chained to the hood of a car? We have this move, we call it ‘The Ghost Rider’…

JUG: I SAID, SHUT UP MANTLE!

_Jughead's arms rip through his clothes, his face elongates, ears pricking up. He roars, and Cheryl whirls around, just as Jughead springs into a leap._

_He knocks Cheryl off Veronica's back, Cheryl stumbles and crashes into the pool. Growling, Jughead tries to scoop up Veronica with his claws, but can’t, and Reggie runs to help. Jughead gives him space, and Reggie rolls Veronica over and cradles her in his lap. She groans. Her eyelids twitch._

VEE: Did we save the world?

REG: We saved the speedo squad, global warming's still an issue, babe.

_Gently, Reggie brushed Veronica's hair out of her face, a rare moment not filtered through crude humor and bravado. Jughead watches, still a grunting hulked-out beast, but his yellow eyes are pained, and he looks down at his claws and back at Reggie and Veronica. He doesn't notice Cheryl's head lurking out of the water, or her hand reach for one of the splintered legs of the lifeguard chair._

VEE: Jughead!

_Veronica pushes herself up, diving under Jughead's arm. Cheryl spears Veronica with the wooden chair leg._

_Jughead and Reggie both make helpless noise at the same time. Veronica looks down at the makeshift lance sticking from her chest. She hears blood pounding, sees Jughead and Reggie screaming. Cheryl smiles victoriously._

_Veronica smiles back._

VEE: You need to stop skipping biology class, Cheryl.

_Veronica breaks off the end of the wooden shaft, she brings it down right through Cheryl's heart and kicks her back into the pool. There’s a splash, and Cheryl dissolves into a thick oily residue in the water._

_Veronica stumbles, wincing as she pulls the other end of the stake from her stomach. Reggie looks over at the door, then up at the window where red and blue lights flash outside._

REG: We need to scram. Beast Boy, _(he waves at Wolfhead)_ get Ronnie out of here, I'll smooth out a story for the cops.

Veronica mumbles weakly, and Jughead lifts her up onto his back, climbing the wall and out onto the roof. Reggie takes a comb from his pocket and slicks back his hair, oozing smug charisma.

* * *

 

  **EXT. RIVERDALE CEMETERY - AFTERNOON**

_Jughead stops on the hill overlooking the town, panting with exhaustion, he carefully slides Veronica off his back and onto the grass. He crouches over her, licking her face, she breathes shallow but is unresponsive. Jughead draws a claw over his palm, carefully dripping a few drops of his blood into Veronica's mouth. As he does, his form shrinks and changes, now he's just a half-naked boy covered in scratches with a pleading expression on his face._

_Veronica murmurs, she licks her lip, then sits up, eyes glowing hungrily. Jughead, still crouched over her, sighs with relief._

JUG: Thought I'd lost—

_Veronica's teeth come out, she nips his bottom lip, tasting the blood. She pulls back abruptly, resisting her own instincts, but Jughead winds his hands into her hair, and brings her closer to make it a real kiss. Heavier, deeper, she pulls him down onto the grass with her, and he fumbles to unbutton her skirt. Veronica tears through what's left of his pants, rolling over to straddle him as he kisses down her chest and peels off her bloodstained top. He mumbles her name, his fingers dig into her hips, and under her lashes, her eyes shine bright as rubies.  
_

 

* * *

 

  **INT. JONES HOUSE - EVENING (EPILOGUE)**

_Dilton, Reggie, Jughead, and Veronica sit on Jughead's couch watching the news. Jughead has his arm around Veronica's shoulder, her legs rest in his lap. They're surrounded by containers from Pop's. The headlines read that Cheryl and Jason are believed to be fugitives on the run responsible for the horrific spree killings, the TV shows the outside of school where Alice Cooper is reporting at the scene._

_Reggie leans over Dilton's chair and steals a slice of pizza for himself._

REG: You know, I think I've learned my lesson... _(pauses, everyone looks at him)_ I'm never dating redheads again.

_Veronica, Jughead, and Dilton all groan._

DILTON: This town is doomed.

JUG: At least we're the only monsters left in it, right Dilton?

DILTON: Actually, there was one recorded case of an alien abduction in the 70s...a farmer said he was tied to a table while little green men did butt stuff to him.

JUG: I vote that Reggie handles that one.

_Veronica snickers. Reggie throws a jalapeno at her and misses._

REG: Can we watch the movie now?

_Dilton gets out of his seat, he and Reggie start fighting over the DVD collection. Jughead turns to Veronica quietly._

JUG: You know I thought about writing this all down, maybe becoming an author.

VEE: Terrible idea, Pendleton.

JUG: What? You don't think I'd make a good writer?

VEE: The only thing I've ever seen you write is an I.O.U. at Pop's. You once told me that excitement gives you heartburn.

JUG: Oh really?

VEE: Really.

_There's a long moment, he smiles at her, opens his mouth, then thinks better of it, kissing her instead._

* * *

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

back cover I made for anyone who's not familiar with the comics, art from JTH and Vampironica by Pat & Tim Kennedy, Joe Eisma, & Greg Smallwood


End file.
